Chronic Sinusitis is Depressing

Chronic sinusitis, also known as chronic rhinosinusitis, is a fairly miserable condition in which inflammation, congestion, and occasional pain become a patient’s new normal. Instead of beating these symptoms within a few days, as most of us do with the common cold, chronic sinusitis sufferers are forced to hunker down and live with their distress for months or even years.

The symptoms of CS may be familiar to several readers of this blog: pain in the face, a persistent sense of congestion, constant pressure, and occasional headaches. Most people who have this condition will tell you that it goes beyond distraction and into the realm of true suffering: when you can’t breathe, you can’t really function at all.

This is why so many sinusitis sufferers miss more work than their peers.

And the lost productivity isn’t just a financial problem. It is an emotional one too. A new study has found that chronic sinusitis actually leads to depression in some cases, likely because of patients’ diminished sense of usefulness:

“Our findings now suggest that depression may also be a very specific driver of missed work or school due to CRS and seeking out treatment of depression will not only lead to a significant improvement in quality of life, but it may also improve productivity in the setting of this chronic condition,” Sedaghat said.

Treating chronic sinusitis is easier than you might think. Often the symptoms are the result of persistent allergies or a tenacious infection, but you’ll want to visit a sinus doctor for a full diagnostic workup to be sure about what’s behind your distress.

The Los Angeles Sinus Institute boats the most extensive and advanced diagnostic screening protocols in Los Angeles, including comprehensive allergy tests, on-site CT scan, and digital visualization tools.

Set an appointment today and get your chronic sinusitis under control. You may just find that your mood improves when your breathing clears.